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“Are you or are you not pregnant with my child?” He was surprised by how calm his voice sounded. Inside a storm was raging.
“I was going to tell you — ”
He hurled the bottle across the room and stormed toward the living room.
“Lyon, wait…”
He heard her voice at his back, but he couldn’t stop, couldn’t look at her face and know she wasn’t happy about their baby.
He pushed the button for the elevator and stepped inside, put his hands on the back of the car as the doors closed so he didn’t have to look at her.
By the time the elevator doors opened into the lobby, he was breathing heavily. A roar had started in his ears, his chest full of pressure that threatened to erupt like lava.
He stalked through the lobby, pushing his way past the doorman before he had a chance to open the doors.
The street outside the hotel was still busy, crowds of mostly tourists returning to their hotels after dinner and a show, others leaving for a night of clubbing. He wound his way through them like a man on a mission, although he had no idea where he was going or what he would do next.
He was halfway down the next block when he heard her voice behind him.
“Lyon, wait…”
He kept walking.
He thought he’d lost her — she hadn’t even been dressed when he’d left the room — but a minute later there was a tug on his sleeve.
He spun to face her, surprised to find her in the hotel robe, her face flushed with exertion, her breath coming fast and shallow, as if she’d run to catch him.
“I don’t want to talk to you right now,” he said. “And more importantly, you don’t want to talk to me right now.”
This time the threat in his voice was real. He’d never been so angry.
So hurt, although he was so unfamiliar with the second emotion he barely registered it.
“I do want to talk to you, Lyon. I’ve been…” She looked down and shook her head. “I’ve been wanting to talk to you for a long time.”
“Then why didn’t you, Kira? I’ve been right here.”
“Have you, Lyon?” She was shouting at him now, tears streaming from her eyes. “Because the only time I’ve felt you with me is when you’re fucking me, so forgive me if I wasn’t sure how to tell you we’re having a baby. Forgive me if I wasn’t sure you’d be as happy as I am about it.”
He was dimly aware of passersby staring but he didn’t give a fuck.
Because she was right. He’d been a grade-A asshole.
His mind caught on the last thing she’d said. “You’re… happy about it?”
She looked up at him. “I’m so happy, Lyon. I just didn’t know if you’d be happy about it. Things have been so…”
“You didn’t know…?” The thought almost brought him to his knees. He pulled her into his arms and wrapped his arms tight around her. “I’m happy.”
“I’m sorry,” she said against his shoulder. “I should have told you sooner.”
A crowd had gathered on the street, clearly not sure what they were witnessing but taking note of Kira in her bathrobe and bare feet, the two of them standing toe-to-toe, screaming and then embracing.
He pulled away and looked down at her, smoothing the hair back from her forehead. “I need to know something.”
Her brow wrinkled with worry. “Anything.”
“Could you… could you ever love me? If I stop acting like a selfish bastard I mean? Because I really want our baby to be raised in a house with love.”
She smiled a little sadly. “I’m afraid it’s too late for that.” His heart sunk. “I already love you, Lyon Antonov. I have for a long time.”
He let the words sit between them, wanting to be sure he’d heard her right, wanting to be sure they were true. Then he held her face in his hands and crushed her lips under his to claim her once and for all.
The kiss grew heated, and Lyon’s hunger for her roared back to life. He swept her into his arms, shielding her near nakedness with his body, and was startled when the crowd broke into applause.
He couldn’t stop from grinning at them. He, the Lion, a damn grinning fool.
“If you’ll excuse us,” he said formally. “I think I’ll take my wife home to bed.”
Kira buried her face in his chest as cheers and whistles erupted from the people around them.
